Steroids. 159. Antimicrobial properties of 21,21-dimethoxy progesterone and other progesterone analogues.

Antimicrobial properties of steroid compounds have been recorded in the literature from time to time. Although Faulkner (1943) was not able to demonstrate definite antimicrobial effects of several natural estrogenic compounds, diethylstilbestrol did exhibit some degree of bactericidal action on gram-positive bacteria. Reiss (1947a, b) observed inhibitory effects of methyl testosterone and deoxycorticosterone on the growth of Trichophyton purpureum and Trichophyton gypseum in cultures and a certain curative effect on experimental infection in castrated rabbits. The antimycotic properties of androgenic and estrogenic compounds having the position 3 blocked with methyl groups, was pointed out by Rebell and Lamb (1953). Kull, Castellano, and Mayer (1953) reported on the inhibitory effect of water-soluble amino steroids on the growth of mycobacteria and Nocardiae. Fox, Carroll, and Glacy (1957) observed that none of the naturally occurring estrogens had fungistatic action; ethynyl estradiol showed some inhibitory effect on Nocardia asteroides at very high levels. Recently the antimicrobial properties of deoxycorticosterone on Neurospora crassa and other microorganisms have been pointed out (Lester, Stone, and Hechter, 1958; Kurosawa, 1958; Lester and Hechter, 1958, 1959; Chattaway, Townsley, and Barlow, 1959) and the inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by corticosterone and hydrocortisone was also indicated (Hennes et al., 1959). The inhibition of growth of Tetrahymena piriformis by several C-21 steroids was furthermore observed by Conner (1959). During our studies on microbial transformations of steroids we have observed several effects of steroid compounds on growth, spore germination, germ tube growth, or activities of some